Adrenaline High
by Verboten Byacolate
Summary: It's the rush that makes it all worthwhile. [Neji, Tenten, and a roller coaster]


_Edit_: Okay, okay! I re-uploaded it! Forgive me-- I posted this when I was in a rush to get to school, but it was on my dad's comp, and I reeeally just wanted to get it out there. So I accidentally posted it as misc. books. I'm such a goof. -headdesk- Thank you for reviewing on the other, though!!

_Disclaimer;_ I own neither Naruto nor a roller coaster. Boo-hoo, right?

_For Zinbuki-san, who is not only my favorite peon, but is also (and not limited to) probably the best reviewer ever. I adore you, my fellow Kisame fanatic!_

**Adrenaline High**

They met without a word to the other; he was riding alone, and her friends had shoved her next to him so that she could ride behind them (their fourth friend simply couldn't take the intense coaster a second time). He barely glanced at her, keeping his gaze straight ahead. This, however, didn't stop her from looking at him. He definitely didn't seem like the type to get off on amusement park rides. More like the type to find his poison in something akin to the hobbies of a bounty hunter/accountant. But whatever-- you can't judge a book by its cover, as they say.

After deciding so, she felt a sharp tug at her middle; the ride had begun.

Ino and Sakura in front of her squealed, hands clasped together like they had done the previous ride. She rolled her eyes in a good-fashioned way, chuckling at her friends' childishness. Ino gave Tenten and Sakura the old, "I've changed my mind! I don't want to do this again!!" and Tenten laughed.

_"Don't be silly!"_ she yelled above the harsh clank-clank-clanking of the wheels against the track. _"You can't get off now; take it like a man!!"_

Ino shook a fist at her before covering her eyes when they began the steep upward climb. She whimperped loudly, and Sakura laughed nervously. "Maybe you should've stayed with Hinata," she said loudly, her words nearly being drowned out by the heavy sound of metal-on-metal. Tenten noticed the guy beside her twitch to life, and she glanced his way. He was frowning at Sakura, who hadn't noticed. Further inspection revealed that his eyes were the same odd light lavender-ish as that of the girl they'd left below, fidgeting with her short white skirt. Tenten blinked.

"Hey--" she started, but was immediately quieted by the screams of many girls as the vehicle dove over the the hump of the track. Tenten whooped, lifting her hands in the air and let herself be, for a brief moment in time, unaffected by gravity. Then, her butt slammed back in the seat once before lifting her again. She laughed out loud at the feeling; it wasn't even humorous. The adrenaline built up inside of her found its outlet in the form of laughter, while the others screamed.

The boy beside her, however, simply seemed to scrutinate the whole ride. He'd sat alone on the last ride as well, she'd noticed, but she didn't really care. Not that she did now, either, but she was curious about his reaction (or lack thereof) to the exciting ride. Maybe he'd ridden it so many times that it didn't even affect him anymore. Who knew?

Ino and Sakura _'kyaa!'_d at every drop and turn, in turn making her laugh harder. This just made the (fairly attractive) boy beside her seem all the more lifeless. It sort of put a damper to Tenten's mood, but she tried not to let it irk her too much, lifting her hands in the air as they entered the tunnel drop.

The ride was over seemingly sooner than it had last time, and Tenten laughed breathlessly along with Ino and Sakura in front of her, smoothing back the strands of earthy brown hair that had flown loose from her buns during the ride.

Sakura turned in her seat, grinning at her two friends. "Let's go again!" she cried happily. Tenten grinned.

"Definitely!"

"Cha!" Ino thundered, pumping her fist into the air. "Let's hope that no one's in line for our seats!" she said to Sakura, who nodded vigorously. Fortunately, the lines for all of their seats were bare of people, so when their lap bars rose, the four bodies stayed put. Tenten leaned forward slightly. "This guy is raining on my parade," she said lowly to the two girls ahead of her.

"Bad childhood I betcha," Ino mouthed, making Tenten giggle slightly. "Probably," she replied aloud, trying her hardest not to look at the boy. When the announcements came on, and the bars clicked in front of them, and they automatically took the opportunity to yank them back down. This ride was almost an exact replay of the one before; Ino and Sakura screamed, Tenten laughed, and the guy beside her stayed quiet, and near-motionless. The fact further annoyed her, but she let it slide.

Unfortunately, when they rolled back to base, there were souls waiting impatiently for Ino and Sakura to get out of their seats. Tenten shooed them on as they insisted that she ride another time.

"You want to go again, and Hinata's probably having a heart attack since we've ridden more than once." Sakura winked. "Have fun!" she and Ino called, jumping the stairs two at a time. Tenten grinned, and soon, they were all jerked forward for another ride.

When the ride had finished, she was so irritated at her companion's lack of enthusiam that she turned toward him in her seat and glared.

"What the hell is your problem!?" she growled, prodding him in the shoulder. "If you don't even enjoy the ride, then why are you even here?!"

He grabbed her wrist. "Stop poking me, Tenten."

She huffed, pulling her hand away and sitting back. "You're supposed to react to this ride in a happy-excited-apprehensive fashion," she grumbled, slamming her bar back down over her thighs. He calmly did the same.

"You act as if it's a crime not to start squealing over an amusement ride."

"It's not just that!" she cried, scowling at him.

"I don't know what you mean then."

"You didn't even say hi!" she scorned, giving him a tiny glare. He smirked.

"Neither did you."

"Yeah, but you definitely saw me first."

"And why would you think that?"

"Because I'm the one walking around with two loudmouth girls with extremely boisterous, colorful features... not to mention your own flesh and blood. That's why."

"Hn." He leaned slightly toward her. "I would've said hi back if you'd made the first move," he said lowly, and she blushed.

"Cut it out, Neji."

"Hn," he repeated, pulling away. He looked away. "So Hinata couldn't take it?"

"Not the second time," she said, shrugging. "I don't bame her. It's an intense ride... not to mention the fact that a certain hyperactive blond has a summer job at a nearby gift shop," she added nonchalantly.

"Don't remind me," he grumbled. Then, unexpectedly, he smirked. "Hey. You were looking at me pretty hard earlier. What was that about?"

"You had a bug on your face. It's not my fault." He looked at her disbelievingly, and she shrugged. "Fine. I was just noticing how similar yours are to Hinata's."

His skeptical look slightly pissed her off. "You can't tell me that you hadn't noticed before," he said, tone as sardonic as it could be.

"I always thought that her eyes were more lavender than yours," she admitted, nudging him with her shoulder. He snorted, and the ride sprung to life.

"Your point of view never ceases to amuse me," he said, proping his elbow on the side of the car, chin in his palm. She glared.

"Are you just going to be a wet blanket again, Neji? Because your attitude is irritating." His raised eyebrow prompted her to continue. "It's no fun riding beside someone who looks like a scary roller coaster like this could put him to sleep. It makes me feel silly to even put my hands in the air!"

As they neared the top of the slope, she sighed, shaking her head... That is, until he took her chin in his hand, his light eyes boring into her dark, surprised brown ones. "Hn," he hummed, slanting his lips over hers. When they parted, she squeaked in embarrassment, jumping away and putting her hands to her mouth. He glanced away again, hiding his smile. "Now we can feel silly together."

Somehow, she managed to hear the comment over the chorus of screams as they plumetted over the slope.

_I want amazing moments_

_when everywhere I turn to _

_Begins a new beginning _

_But never finds a finish_

_-Enya_

_- Fin -_

**This was written on my way home from Indiana. I went to this smextastic theme park that I'd never heard of before- Holiday World- and guess what? I rode on roller coasters 14 times. It was kewl. This one coaster, the Voyage, I rode 8 times, and it was sooo awesome. My father and grandfather couldn't take it, so I rode it alone... a lot. On two of the times that I rode it, there was this mushy-gooshy couple that were in front of me. No matter how cynical I am, I do have to admit that it would be nice to have a guy (take notes, my dude readers) kiss you before you took a hundred-foot, 85 degree drop. Just saying. Sooo... if you liked this... just thank them for being so incredibly willing to share their romance with the rest of us riders. XD**

**Written while listening to the Good Charlotte album, The Young and the Hopeless (I absolutely adore **_**'Lifestyle of the Rich and the Famous'**_**!!). I got it at a garage sale yesterday, and it's in such good shape! SCORE!!! XD I also got this schweet Slipknot hat that I'm thoroughly in love with. I almost got this totally badical 3-inches-in-height belt studded with a bajillion skulls that would've taken a fortune to buy at Hot Topic, but I had to stop myself. And I just have to ask-- what's so great about Kid Rock? I've never listened to his music, but apparently it's great... **

**-Bya **


End file.
